I stood in the shower, still wearing my dark suit
The hot water was steaming up the dim bathroom
I looked down
The water was running dark blue off of my pant legs
Pooling near the drain

I kept blinking
Again and again
Attempting to scare away the ghosts

Gray were the apparitions
Mumbling, entranced
I still see it in my mind's eye

I carefully stepped backwards
Wishing for the safety of my car, only a few feet behind me
Loose gravel crunched under my heavy boots
A distant screech sounded
I stopped by the tracks

They were symmetrical
Parallel
Welded together
Smooth and sturdy
If only I had found what I was looking for

I could feel the spirits
Hear their devilish voices
Taste their bitterness
Smell their smoke

A shudder and I stepped back again
Towards the highlighted silhouettes that were the trees and my old auto
I started to feel the wind on my face, thick with wispy figures
The unnatural breeze of a locomotive
The ghosts scattered as it drew nearer

At that moment I noticed the shiny band
Set daintily on the tracks
The train bore down
My thick boots hastened and I snatched the jewel

The ring was in my hand
It belonged to no one living
So, the clouds of gray followed me
Passed into the car and rested in my head

Repeatedly reminding me of the wrong
Making me forget myself
Serving me cold meals of nightfall at the train tracks
The single yellow light illuminating the uneven trees